


Like Breathing

by Daiako (Achrya)



Series: Gap Year Series [1]
Category: Tiger & Bunny, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Cross over, Canon-Typical Violence, Case Fic, M/M, Mutual Pining, Next powers are Quirks, Omega Verse, POV Alternating, Post-Canon, Secret Identity, Slow Build, Timeline abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:48:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23888479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Achrya/pseuds/Daiako
Summary: With All Might's backing Katsuki and Izuku go to Sternbild City to debut and intern with the hero duo of Wild Tiger and Barnaby Brooks for a year. Katsuki figures the hard part will be dealing with the cameras in his face all the time, but between standing tall among some of the best in the world, dealing with being saddled with a washed up hero, increasing incidences of quirk havers losing their shit and burning out, and helping to cover Izuku's big secret (and his own) the cameras are the least of his issues.Kotetsu is hoping for a quieter year this time around. Dealing with two teenagers doesn't seem like it'll be that hard and, fine Bakugou is a little prickly and Midoriya is so intent on hiding himself away he's bound to crash and burn at any moment, but between himself and Bunny they have it all under control. Maybe. Probably. Possibly, if Bunny would just stop being so...weird.
Relationships: Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku, Barnaby "Bunny" Brooks Jr./Kaburagi T. Kotetsu
Series: Gap Year Series [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1721728
Comments: 7
Kudos: 26





	Like Breathing

Sternbild City stretched out below the plane, a curtain of twinkling lights as far as Katsuki’s eye could see, cut into sections by the large swaths of water. From this high up it was possible to see the sections, held up by pillars, and the zigzagging stretches of moving lights that he assumed were the highways and ramps that connected them. He’d done a lot of reading, spurred by Deku’s nonstop talking about how amazing and innovative the set up of the city was, but the pictures hadn’t really done it justice. It was huge, sprawling, the taller buildings on the top level reaching towards the sky like they meant to pass the clouds. Glass reflected back a riot of colors, making the city a twisting kaleidoscope that was, he had to admit, like nothing he’d ever seen before. 

Not that he’d never been to big cities or anything, he’d traveled with his parents a few times before starting UA, but nothing had looked like this. 

At the center of it all, stretching from the bottom level to far above the top, was Justice Tower. As stupid as that name was in his opinion (how did people go around saying that with serious faces?) Katsuki couldn’t deny that it was something to behold. It towered above everything around it, demanding attention with it’s sheer size but also with the statue situated at its apex; the city’s Goddess of Justice. She was detailed, individual wings lovingly carved, folds of her dress draped just so, and a face that peered over her city solemnly but somehow had something almost...kind to the tilt of her mouth. 

Or maybe he was tired from spending his entire day on planes and in airports, with only a chattering Deku for company, unable to sleep no matter how he tried. He felt the effects of spending twelve hours cooped up in his seat all throughout his body; tense and stiff muscles, aches in his lower back and knees, and that was with getting up to move around the cabin pretty often. 

The woman in charge of Hero TV (and one of their new bosses), Agnes, had wanted to get them on a private plane, which had seemed excessive at the time with everything else that was happening. Now however Katsuki could see where maybe a little more thought should have been given to accepting, or at least taking first class seats. Then again even knowing how terrible the flight was Deku wouldn’t have taken anything more than the economy seats they’d agreed to. That was just how he was and, Katsuki thought as he cut his gaze to the smaller man who had his face all but pressed to the glass so he could watch their descent, there were worse things than being obnoxiously selfless and unwilling to accept more than he had to from people. 

Katsuki had actually been a little surprised he’d accepted the offer to come to Sternbild and work for Hero TV at all. It was a good opportunity, great even, with all sorts of perks and shit, would put them directly in the spotlight and get them a ton of attention for their debuts, and they hadn’t actually done much to get it, aside from know the right person. They’d both been ready to step up to hero work right out of UA, to hit the bottom ranks with whatever agency would take them and claw their way up, but instead they were here, taking a Gap Year Internship in America in the premier hero work city, under the dominant company. 

It was because of All Might. He had, unbeknownst to them, called in some favors and agreed to some things (“Nothing for you two to worry about,” The man had said, smiling tiredly and waving off their questions.) all to get them this chance. Katsuki wasn’t one to accept anything he hadn’t worked for himself, usually, but after some thought (and being called an idiot repeatedly by his mother) he figured as long as he worked hard once he was there it worked out. He would prove he was worth the chance Hero TV was giving him and the faith All Might had in him. 

( _ “Wait. Both of us?” Katsuki asked, blinking rapidly at the contracts All Might had laid out before them. One year in Sternbild city, the first city to have Official Heroes and push for the rights of Quirk havers, the first to make them accessible public figures, to open up to sponsorships and television, the place that literally set the pace for the rest of the Hero community. Sternbild was the biggest stage there was for heroes, with it’s small and competitive community. Not just anyone got a chance there, let alone with the First League.  _

_ “Of course both of you.” All Might tilted his head to the side, looking confused, like the idea that he would just pull all these strings for his mentee and ‘heir’ was something that had never crossed his mind. “I know being a team isn’t your first choice but I’m afraid it was the only way I could manage it. With time you might-” _

_ “It’s fine.” Katsuki interrupted, afraid that if he waited the tightness in his throat would keep him from talking. “I can work with the nerd for a year.” _ )

“Kacchan,” Izuku breathed, breath fogging up the window so badly neither of them could see. “Look at it.” 

Katsuki rolled his eyes and sat back. “I saw it. It’s okay.” 

Deku made a noise of protest, soft and offended, but didn’t bother turning around. “I can’t believe they’re letting us work here, as real heroes-” 

“We are, idiot.” Katsuki rolled his eyes. Mostly real anyway. They had their licenses, they’d graduated from UA sharing the title of first in rank, they’d applied at agencies and even done a few interviews before being presented with the chance to do the internship. They were absolutely real heroes. 

And Katsuki was pretty sure that would sink in any day now. 

“And watch what you say.” He added, glancing around the cabin. The lights were up and people were stirring, gathering their things together as best they could, and not paying any attention to them, but still. Spreading that they were heroes around was the opposite of what they were supposed to be doing. 

“Sorry Kacchan.” The apology was absent, an automatic thing colored more by the awe in Deku’s voice than any contriteness. “I’m just excited.” 

He huffed, sitting back further in his chair. “Yeah yeah.”

He was too, and nervous in a way he couldn’t recall being since his first year internship with Endeavor, but he wasn’t about to say that. One of them had to keep their head on straight here, especially since Deku was likely to go full fanboy before the night was over. 

\---

“You’re Barnaby!” Katsuki didn’t shout, because he didn’t do that kind of thing just because he’d met another hero. He’d met lots of big heroes after all; All Might was his fucking teacher and he’d trained with Eneavor and Best Jeanist and put his foot into Hawks’ face at one point; he did not get weird around heroes. He wasn't a fanboy. That was Deku’s thing, not his. 

But, fine, he was a fan, a totally normal fan, and barely that really. Or...well, he admired how the guy carried himself and the work he did and maybe thought it was kind of amazing how he was so public about everything about himself. He’d never hid his face or name, he’d been open about what happened to his parents and his search for their killer, about the betrayal of his mentor, and that he was an omega. The first and only one working openly in Sternbild, one of the few around the world, and the most popular one hands down. It was a controversial thing just about everywhere, with a lot of people still thinking that omegas were, if not out and out weak, then too volatile for something as high stress and important as hero work. They were emotional, erratic, their heats and sensitivity to alpha control made them unreliable, their eager to please nature easily exploited, and a whole bunch of other bullshit Katsuki had never paid much attention to because he didn’t care about that sort of shit. 

Japan had, in recent history, one public omega: Hawks. And that hadn’t exactly turned out all that great, with him all but disavowed by the Hero Commission after his trial, and it was unlikely there’d be another one any time soon. Katsuki had seen a few omegas at UA quietly back away from being open about their dynamic in favor of commiting to passing as alphas or betas. 

So Katsuki could admire what Barnaby had accomplished, becoming ‘King of Heroes’ right after his debut and winning over the opinion of so many. 

Even if he’d had to be paired with a washed up alpha to do it. 

He didn’t think it was totally unreasonable to be surprised, and yes fine maybe a teeny bit impressed, by Barnaby. The man was leaning against the wall, head ducked as he tapped at his phone, and blond curls hid some of his profile but he was still easily identified. Plus there was all the whispering of the last lingering passengers as they were ushered along the flight attendants. 

Katsuki noted that no one was trying to keep them moving, but maybe this was why they’d been quietly told to sit and wait for the plane to empty before leaving. 

Izuku was less composed, of course. He whipped around at Katsuki’s words, all attention to the airport map he’d pulled up on his phone lost, in favor of staring up at the hero with big wide eyes. “Oh! Barnaby, sir-” 

“Sir?” Barnaby echoed, blinking back at Deku like he was some new, strange animal he was seeing for the first time. Which, actually, wasn’t a terrible way to describe Izuku when he got into full muttering mode. Which he was, already surging onwards with a waterfall of information about Barnaby’s career and stats and questions about his Quirk (Izuku had spent no less than two hours musing about ‘Hundred Power’ and how it differed from his own enhanced strength and if the various other enhancements were why it was limited to five minutes per hour.) and not seeming to notice the increasingly bewildered expression on Barnaby’s face. The taller blond stood up straighter, leaning just slightly away from Deku as green eyes darted around. 

Someone laughed, loud and bright; Katsuki glanced back over his shoulder to find Wild Tiger leaning in through the jet bridge door. He inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement of Katsuki, done so quickly that Katsuki didn’t even have time to bristle at an alpha sneaking into his space like that. 

“Looks like you have a fan Bunny.”

Barnaby rolled his eyes but before he could say anything Deku was switching gears, already big eyes blown wider and a breathy ‘Wild Tiger!’ leaving his mouth. He beelined right to the man, shameless in that earnest way of his, and Katsuki pinched the bridge of his nose. This he’d seen coming; Izuku had been a big fan when they’d been kids. He’d had all the joint All Might and Wild Tiger posters from the two years All Might had spent working in Sternbild, had forced Katsuki to sit up and watch as the hero was crowned King of Heroes three seasons running, and happily plastered his room with all sorts of Merchandise. Katsuki had never really gotten the appeal, Wild Tiger had always seemed like someone’s lame dad to him and even more so when his career had tanked, but that didn’t change that the guy was Deku’s second favorite. 

To his credit Wild Tiger seemed to deal with the whirlwind that was Izuku better than his partner did, smile stretching wider like he wasn’t being peppered with a stream of questions and half formed thoughts. “Izuku, right? Yag- All Might had a lot to say about you.” 

That stopped Deku in his tracks; his face flushed cherry red. “He did?” 

“Yup.” 

The blush went all the way to the tips of Izuku’s ears. Katsuki scoffed but if anyone heard him he was ignored. “Oh.” Izuku mumbled, head ducking. “Okay. Um.”

“The car is waiting.” Wild Tiger said, leaning back and gesturing to something outside down on the tarmac; Katsuki couldn’t see past him to whatever it was. “We tried to get Agnes to nix the cameras but that is…”

“Impossible.” Barnaby slipped past Katsuki, closer to his partner and Deku. “But the chance for higher ratings is why she agreed so it shouldn’t be surprising she wants to get footage of your arrival. Kotetsu-”

“Wild Tiger!” 

“Has masks, if you want them.” Barnaby paused, glancing back at Katsuki. “I would wear them, unless you want to listen to the old man talk about how heroes are supposed to hide their identities the entire ride into the city.” 

He didn’t so he took the offered mask. It had the same base design at the one to his costume, but the explosions on the side were gone. Instead there were orange explosive bursts outlined around the eye holes, and a dark green line traveling the outline of the mask. It fit perfectly, the adhesive bonding tight with minimal pressure and, when he tested the hold, stayed put without feeling like it was going to rip his skin off. 

A look to the side found Deku wearing a slim domino mask, the same green as his costume and marked with eight seemingly randomly placed silver diamonds. It was weird seeing Izuku in a mask like that, he usually hid behind his respirator and left the top half of his face bare, but it did the job well enough. 

They followed Tiger and Barnaby down the stairs connected to the jet bridge to the tarmac, where a long red and white vehicle was waiting. It looked like a cross between a bus and a tank, boxy and thickly armored, and had ‘Apollon Media’ painted big and bright on the side. Katsuki focused on that, and the stairs under his feet, and not the camera crew and bright lights he could now see flanking the staircase. The flash of cameras burst brightly from all angles, leaving spots dancing in front of his eyes; he felt a growl building low in his chest but squashed it down behind a grimace. 

This was part of the deal; training with the best heroes in Sternbild, being active front line instead of bottom tier at some other agency, and all the support Apollon Media could throw at them, and all he had to do was live his life in front of cameras for a year. 

The whole idea chafed enough that he’d hesitated to accept but in the end between All Might’s assurance that he would ‘excel’ in the environment, the understanding that surviving Sternbild meant he’d be able to go anywhere and do anything he wanted in a years time, and Izuku’s excitement had made up his mind for him. 

At least he got to hide his face, and might be able to move around without being picked out. He had a feeling he’d appreciate that more and more as time went past. 

Not as much as Deku was sure to, since his mask was the only thing between Valiant, new alpha pro hero who was beaming at the cameras, and Izuku Midoriya, quirkless omega, but that went without saying. 

* * *

**_Breaking News: New Hero Duo in Sternbild!_ **

**July 10th, NC 1980**

_ The moment the city has been waiting weeks for has arrived! Intern hero team Valiant and Nitro landed at Sternbild airport tonight, pictures below, and were met by the team of Wild Tiger and Barnaby Brooks Jr. These two are the first ‘loan’ heroes since All Might spent two year in the city nearly fifteen years ago, the same year as Wild Tiger’s debut. The new duo will be spending a year learning from Sternbild’s heroes and protecting our city, just as All Might once did.  _

_ Opinions of the program have been mixed, especially in regards to city favorite Barnaby now having to team with two young alphas, but with the blessing of the retired All Might behind them Hero TV is certain these two will rise to the top of the ranks!  _

_ Not much is known about (Click to Continue article)  _


End file.
